Is Criticism of Wheelin-n-Dealin Mets Fair?

The sell-off of players you formerly knew as 'The Starting Lineup of the 2017 New York Mets' continued this weekend as Curtis Granderson and Rene Rivera joined the Yankees and Cubs, respectively.

The growing list of expiring veteran contracts bartered from Citi Field (because the team didn't plan to resign them anyway) already included Neil Walker, Lucas Duda, Jay Bruce and setup man/closer Addison Reed. But, if the team had a change of heart, it's not like the team couldn't make offers to these guys in the off-season.

The notoriously penny pinching Wilpon's are being called 'cheap' again as the team deals for 'players to be named later' and 'cash considerations'. I admit, the Wilpon's are virtually standing in line at the bottle return. They're getting refunds!

He explained how slicing salary now allows him to prove to ownership that it can be done. He said that allows ownership to loosen its purse strings in the winter. He admitted he couldn’t swear that every dollar saved this year will automatically go toward bettering next year.

And all the while insisting, “This was not a salary dump!”

And all the while implying, “This was absolutely a salary dump!”

While I understand the criticism of the Wilpon's, would it somehow have been smarter or beneficial to keep shoving the-now ex-Mets into the lineup?

Maybe some fans would rather watch Granderson or Duda or Walker hit meaningless home runs in September while reminiscing, 'He was a good Met. We're gonna miss him'.

Me?

I'd rather see the development of the guys, I'm hoping, will be part of the 2018 New York Mets starting lineup, and beyond.

Are the Mets 'cheap'? Sure. But, that doesn't mean this ongoing fire sale is a bad thing for the team.